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[THE NORTH, WINTERFELL HALL]
[SER RODRIK CASSEL enters.]
"Lord Stark! Torrhen's Square is under siege."
Multiple sets of glares were pinned on the Gryejoy boy. They knew well enough that it was he who led his men there. The fucking turn cloak.
Bran on the other hand smiled at being referred to as Lord Stark. Just like his father.
"Torrhen's Square is barely forty leagues from here. How can the Lannisters strike so far north?"
"They don't know" Ned frowned. "If they've received word of an attack, surely there would be mention of who is attacking" he muttered.
"Perhaps they didn't have the time to write it?" Lyanna suggested.
Ned on the other hand had a different thought in mind, and he prayed that was not the case.
"Might be a raiding party led by the Mountain. Might be sellswords paid by Tywin Lannister."
"If it was the Mountain, here would be mention of the Moutain" Robb muttered. Even he was thinking how odd it was that there was no mention of who attacked.
"You think the raven is a trap?" Jon asked.
"No, Theon was pretty sure he'd attack" Robb muttered, his voice tightening when he said Theon's name.
"Most of the fighting men are away with Robb, but I can gather two hundred decent men."
"Do you need so many?"
"If we can't protect our own bannermen, why should they protect us? Go, Ser Rodrik. Take the men you need."
"While I am proud that you're willing to help your bannermen, do not leave yourself unguarded" Rickard advised.
Bran nodded, silently angry at himself for disappointing someone.
[NORTH OF THE WALL]
[A winter storm howls as the Knight's Watchmen persevere.]
"A fire."
"There's a fire. The people sitting around it have better eyes than yours or mine. When they see us coming, that fire becomes a signal. Gives Mance Rayder plenty of time to throw a party in our honour."
The ones who had yet to taste battle or be present in the planning stages of it took note of what the Halfhand said. The Northerners respected the man, and those not from the North noted how he was respected by the North.
"How many wildlings have joined him?"
"From what we can tell, all of them. Mance has gathered them all like deer against the wolves. They're almost ready to make their move."
"The wonders the threat of an immortal army would do" Tyrion noted calmly. Internally he was not so calm. He imagined what a host that big could do against the armies of Westeros. The armies would win, of course, but not without casualty.
"Where?"
"Somewhere safe. Somewhere south. Can't just march into their midst. And we can't wait for them here with nothing but a pile of stones to protect us."
"You saying we should fall back to the Wall?"
"Mance was one of us once. Now he's one of them. He's going to teach them our way of doing things. They'll hit us in force and they won't run away when we hit back. They're gonna be more organized than before, more disciplined, more like us. So we need to be more like them and do things their way. Sneak in, kill Mance, and scatter them to the winds before they can march on the Wall. And to do that-"
"We need to get rid of those lookouts."
"It's not a job for 400 men. I need to move fast and silent. Harker, Stonesnake, Borba."
"Lord Commander, I'd like to join Lord Qhorin."
"I've been called lots of things, but that might be my first Lord Qhorin. You're a steward, Snow, not a ranger."
"I've fought and killed a wight. How many rangers can say that?"
"Your pride is showing. And not in a good way" Brandon the Elder chastised, Jon nodded his head.
"Aye. You killed a wight. You also let an old man beat you bloody and take your sword."
"And there it goes" Robb smirked but Jon just shrugged at that.
"Craster? In the boy's defence, that's a tough old goat."
"I could take up Jon's duties while he's gone, my lord. It would be no trouble."
"Well, I hope you make a better ranger than you do a steward. Go on."
"He's just letting you go?" Robb asked in confusion.
"Maybe he wants me to gain experience as a ranger to do a better job later" Jon said
Over on another side, Lyanna watched with worry. Ranging was no easing thing and she'd already lost a brother to it. She didn't know what she'd do if she lost her son as well.
[XARO'S VAULT.]
[XARO strikes the door of the vault with a sword.]
"The door and the vault are made of Valyrian stone. The hardest steel does not make a mark. I offered the greatest locksmiths in Qarth their weight in gold if they could break into it. I made the same offer to the greatest thieves. They all went home empty-handed. The only thing that can open this door is this key."
Rhaegar leaned forward with interest. Not even the capital had those, stones made by Valyrian magic. Such a security would work wonders if one could create such defences anymore. Sadly the knowledge passed away with the Valyrians during the Doom.
"And behind the door?"
[XARO chuckles]
"And it can all be mine?"
"Greedy" Oberyn teased.
"It was only a question" Daenerys huffed.
"All? Let us say half. More than enough to buy horses, ships, and armies. Enough to go home."
"All I have to do?"
"Is marry me."
"And there is why he vouched for you and your people" Elia muttered.
"And he's found a way to convince Daenerys as well. He's crafty and had great ambitions" Doran commented.
"That was a romantic proposal."
"I've already married once for love, but the gods stole her from me. I come from nothing. My mother and father never owned a pair of shoes. But marry me, and I will give you the Seven Kingdoms and our children will be princes and princesses."
"Tempting offer" Daenerys muttered. She jested of course. Seeing from this perspective, without the responsibility of people over her head, she could see that he was trying to play her.
[QARTH, DAENERYS'S CHAMBERS]
"If you cross the sea with an army you bought and a foreign husband who paid for it..."
"Ah, he told you" Oberyn noted with a hum.
"Perhaps to push me to accept his proposal" Daenerys added.
"Possibly."
"The Seven Kingdoms are at war with one another. Four false kings destroying the country."
"To win Westeros, you need support from Westeros."
"The usurper is dead."
"He may be dead, girl, but the majority still remember what your father was. They'll unite to end you before resuming their fight" Rickard stated coldly.
"I am aware" Daenerys muttered with a flinch.
[JORAH laughs]
"The Starks fight the Lannisters, and Baratheons fight each other." Daenerys said
"According to your new friend who earned your trust by cutting his hand?" Jorah asked
"The time to strike is now. We need to find ships and an army or we'll spend the rest of our lives rotting away at the edge of the world." Daenerys said
"Rich men do not become rich by giving more than they get. They'll give you ships and soldiers and they'll own you forever. Moving carefully is the hard way, but it's the right way." Jorah stated
"And if I'd listened to that advice outside the gates of Qarth, we'd all be dead by now." Daenerys said
"I know the opportunity before you seems like the last you'll ever have, but you must-"
"Do not speak to me like I'm a child."
"Technically you are a child" Rhaegar pointed out.
"I don't think any of them would be able to retain their childhood, my dear. They are adults and must be treated as such" Elia whispered to her husband, rubbing his arm gently.
Daenerys pursed her lips in silence.
"I only want-"
"What do you want? Tell me."
"To see you on the Iron Throne."
"Why?"
"You have a good claim. A title. A birthright. But you have something more than that. You may cover it up and deny it, but you have a gentle heart. You would not only be respected and feared, you would be loved. Someone who can rule and should rule. Centuries come and go without a person like that coming into the world. There are times when I look at you and I still can't believe you're real."
"He forgets that her family set many precedences that leave her with fewer rights to rule, and that is without counting the fact that Robert claimed the throne by conquest" Tyrion commented.
Daenerys looked at Elia with confusion.
"I will explain later" Elia promised her.
[HARRENHAL]
[A loud thud is heard, and a woman screams. ARYA rushes over to gold cloaks who surround a prone body.]
"Guards! Did you see anything? Go up there. Go and see where he fell from."
[ARYA looks down upon the twisted body of THE TICKLER. She looks up. ARYA spies JAQEN standing in the battlement above. He touches a finger beneath his eye. ARYA understands the gesture.]
"Odd how you gave the guy the name and he killed the man" Robb stated.
"How is it odd? He said he owed me so he was honour bound to do it" Arya muttered.
"Honour amongst criminals?" Jon Asked with a smirk, he knew what was going on but he wanted Arya to be varu and not trust so easily.
"I don't know! That's the only explanation I have!" Arya huffed.
But even she was curious about it.